STITCHES

Simple techniques to help with communication

AMPLIFICATION

Amplification is a rhetorical technique used to reinforce points made by other women and give credit to their ideas.  The technique evolved organically and was adopted by women of the Obama administration, who were tired of having their voices ignored at the table.  When a woman made a good point, other women would repeat it, crediting its originator.  This forced the men at the table to acknowledge the contribution — and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own.

It can work something like this:

Woman A proposes an idea.

Man B restates the idea (hearing it as real once said in his own voice) and in some fashion credit is attributed to him

Woman B reinforces that the idea is a good one and re-attributes credit to its source, e.g., "When Woman A first proposed that, I also thought..."

The story of the women in the Obama White House and detail on the technique are published in the Washington Post. 

THAT'S BANANAS

“That’s bananas” is a handy turn of phrase that can be used when you are frustrated and would really like to say something stronger.  It eases tension.  As an added benefit, you can’t get yourself into trouble by saying it. If anyone ever complains about you being too aggressive, or using strong language and was asked, “Well, what did she say?”  They would have to respond, “That’s bananas.”